Science Focus
original post »A levitating magnet floats above a superconducting surface. For more than a quarter of a century, high-temperature superconductors – materials that can transmit electric current without any resistance – have perplexed scientists who seek to understand the physical phenomena responsible for their unique properties. Thanks to a new study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, researchers have identified and solved at least one paradox in the behavior of high-temperature superconductors. The riddle involves a phenomenon called the “pseudogap,” a region of energy levels in which relatively few electrons are allowed to exist. Despite their name, high-temperature superconductors are actually quite cold – roughly 250 degrees to 350 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Conventional superconductors, like those used in MRI machines or particle accelerators, are even colder. Even though they are still quite cold, high-temperature superconductors are of special interest to researchers because, at least in theory, they are much easier to keep sufficiently cold and are thus potentially more useful. In general, superconductors can be thought of like an army that prefers the cold. At room temperature, the soldiers – electrons – are oriented every which way, and they all “march” in different directions. Read more at: Phys.org
The post Scientists gain new insight into mysterious electronic phenomenon has been published on Technology Org.
#physics
» see original post http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TechnologyOrgPhysicsNews/~3/8yedlc8b_gg/
See Zazzle gifts tagged with 'science'
No comments:
Post a Comment